Happy February!

Oi Everyone! I cannot believe that February is here! Where did January go? :) I hope that you are all doing well. Our water came back on last Monday and we have not had problem since,so that´s nice :) This week I celebrated my 3 month mark of my mission! As Sister Martin reminded me, I am 1/6th done with my mission. We celebrated with tapioca at the end of the day. I will try my best to explain it and maybe you can google to try to find a picture :) Basically she took what I think is tapioca flour and puts a layer on the skillet, then she put coconut shavings on top, a layer of cheese and then you can pick what goes inside (I picked chocolate, I know, it´s surprising :) ). There are a bunch of different options like fruit, but why would you pick that? :) Then she folds it in half and cuts it in a half and it is perfect to share with you missionary companion :) It isso hot when you first get it, but oh so good!!  This week, the bishop in our ward changed our area boundaries so we have more members in our area which is great, but we now have to walk and hour and a half to get to our area and another half hour is our area... We walk alot, but Sister Martin and I talk and occasionally sing, so it´s fun :) Cada dia, we walk one way and take the ônibus the other way so it is not too bad.  The bishop is the ward I am in right now is so amazing! He is so willing to help us with anything and makes sure that we are doing well. Actually the ward I am in right now is amazing. They spoil us so much with rides, food.... I am going to miss this ward so much! I still have at least 4 weeks left though, so I can´t start crying yet :) Nothing else amazing happened this week.Sister Martin and I taught some more lessons, but none of our investigators came to church again this week, so that´s not fun,but we keep moving along.  I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve here in Maceió! My heart is so full of gratidue and joy to my Heavenly Father for blessing me so much. I know this gospel is true with all of my heart. I know that if we follow the commandments and teachings of the prophets we will be blessed and have true happiness in our lives. I love you all so much and miss you everyday!!  Com amor, Sister Chilson

Another Week!

Oi Everyone,

I hope that you all had great weeks! This week felt like it went by really slow this week, but I feel like it was just yesterday I was emailing all of you! 

I don´t have any big amazing stories this week about investigators or baptisms, but Sister Martin and I are working hard and teaching everyone we can. We walked the whole length of our area this week multiple times. I timed it one time and it is about and hour and 40 minutes, one way, from the start and finish of our area (the length only). There is one big road that divides our area from the other sisters in our ward and there are little road and stores that are off of the one main road. 

One not so awesome thing that happened yesterday- we had no water in our apartment (and not like we didn´t have hot water... we had no water). I was taking a shower and the water was crazy hot, but then it just stopped. I didn´t know if it was just me, but then one of the other sisters who was trying to take a shower said the same thing. We tried our best with what we had, but one of the sisters got some water from somewhere and we washed ourselves with water and buckets. The water was still not on after church and when we got home last night and I am not sure if it is back on now... I will see when we get home :) So that was not really fun and of course the one Sunday it happens is when President Gonzaga (my mission president), the stake president and a member of the Seventy is in our sacrament meeting. I thought something was going to happen like a change in the stake presidency or something because having all of them there at once is stange, but nothing big happened. The member of the Seventy spoke in sacrament meeting and that was about it. 

We also lost power one night this week and we could tell because you hear all of the fan go off. It was not off for very long, but still not having water and losing energia in the same week... good times :)

We got a little glimpse of what it is going to be like here during the World Cup this week. One day we tried to call and visit so many people, but no one was answering. We walked by a bar and then we realized the was a soccer game on... so that is what everyone was doing. There were so many people crammed into the bar to see the TVs and everyone was wearing jerseys... they mean business here :) So basically during the World Cup we are going to be doing nothing because everyone will be watching the World Cup :)

Sister Gonzaga also visited our apartment one day this week and she went to our almoço appointment também because she was going to spend the day with the other sisters in our ala. And of course who had the give the message? Me. I was so nervous, but I think that it actually went okay and after Sister Gonzaga said I did a great job. She has to say that though, right? Being the mission president´s wife? :)

Well that is about all that is happening here. Nothing super fun or amazing, but I have gone to baptims for the other sisters in our area and it always brings me so much joy when someone else get´s baptized. I know that this church is true and that our Savior lives. He died for each one of us and I know He will return one day and what a glorious day that will be. I love this gospel with all of my heart. 

I hope that you all have a great week! I think about Rochester and the beautiful state of New York everyday. I pray for you all. I miss and love you all so much!!

Com amor,

Sister Chilson

Pics: My old district, me by the beautiful beaches of Maceió. There are times when I wish I could be somewhere there is snow, and then I walk by these beaches... Can I have both? :) Also, a picture of the entire mission. Can you find me? :)

1st Transfer

Oi Everyone!!

I made it through my first transfer!! I cannot believe that I have been here for 6 weeks, I honestly feel like I have lived here for months... Anyway, I am staying in the same area with my same companion for the next 6 wees, which I what I thought because she is my trainer and my training doesn´t finish for another 6 weeks. The other 2 sets of sisters in my district and who I live with stayed the same as well and actually there were so few changes made, but that just means that next transter the mission is basically going to get turned upside down because 6 sisters go home and there are 5 of us who finish our training, so we will see what happens, but I am very hopefuly for these next 6 weeks :)

Right now my heart is so full of love and joy that I cannot help but keep smiling! I wasn´t like this all week though. Through my whole mission I have had ups and downs, days where I feel like I can talk with anyone and days where I feel like I know no Português at all. At the beginning of last week I was feeling pretty down. I knew that transfers were coming up, but I felt like I couldn´t communicate with people and that I didn´t know if I would be able to make it another 6 weeks with my same companion. On Wednesday we have entravistas (interviews) with President Gonzaga. We email him every week and have an interview with him every 6 weeks. Our whole district has interviews on the same day and President set up a schedule and I had my interview last out of everybody, which I was fine with. Anyway, I explained to President how I was feeling and he told me that I needed to really talk with Sister Martin and explain to her what I was feeling. I knew this was what I needed to do and espcailly coming from Presdient, but I was a little hesitent. Anyway, I was feeling better after talking with him and then on Saturday I had a huge miracle happen. We were just walking around Saturday night and all of the sudden Sister Martin asked me if President told me that we should talk. Of course I told her yes, but I was so shocked that he told her that because her talked with her before he talked with me. Needless to say, I know that President listened to the Spirit and told Sister Martin needed to talk. We sat down on side of the road and talked. I was able to explain how I was feeling and she was as well. If definatley brought us closer together and since then I have been having totally peace and am so much happier. I am so grateful for a mission president who is so in tune with the Spirit and looks out for each one of his missionaries. He is so amazing! I feel so much more confident and I know that this next transfer will not be easy, but I know that I can get through it and I know Sister Martin and I will continue to get closer over these next 6 weeks. 

As for the rest of my week, nothing crazy happened. On Tuesday we went to the place for almoço with a member where there is a big buffet and then people come around with all different types of meat and you can have as much as you want. I tried so many different kinds, I don´t even know what I ate, but I know that I ate chicken heart and I loved it! Super strange and not like me, I know, but for some reason I was feeling adventeous, so I tried it knowing full well what I was eating and I loved it. I´m sure I depends on how you cook it, but my goodness, they did such a great job :)

We had our first missionary correlation meeting this week at our ward mission leaders house and someday I will take a pictures, but my ward mission leader look exactly like Jacob Black from the Twilight movies- I swear. He was on his mission when New Moon came out and so many young girls started calling him Jacob Black, but he had no idea what they were talking about because he hadn´t seen the movie. Super funny and I will get a picture with him next meeting :)

Sorry for no pictures this week, the computer isn´t taking my camera, so you will just have to wait another week... sorry! 

I guess that is all for this week! I hope that you are all doing well and enjoying your January! I know that Heavenly Father loves each of us and is in the details in our lives. He watches over each one of us and I know that he always does what is best for us and what is going to help us become the person he knows we can be. I love this gospel with all of my heart and am so grateful to have it in my life and to hvae the opportunity to share it. 

I love you all!!

Com amor,

Sister Chilson

Feliz Novo Ano!

Happy New Year Everyone!

I cannot believe that 2014 is here! On New Year´´s Eve we had district meeting in the morning and then we had to be in our house by 6PM because it was New Year´s Eve and so we hung out for a little while, but then we made some amazing food- this awesome chicken dish, rice, french fries and two different types of juice and after we have pipoca (popcorn). It was so awesome to just enjoy ourselves (me and the other 5 sisters I live with). We put on jeans for the evening which felt really weird and we hung out. We stayed up until midnight to ring in the new year, which we probaly weren´t suppose to do.... But anyway, there were a bunch of fireworks that went off at midnight and some were super close to us and we could see then so clearly in the night sky. Different from how I would have celebrated at home, but such a good time.

The following day (New Year´s Day) we still got up at 6:30... that was hard,but we did it :) There was no one out in the streets though, because it was NYD, so we didn´t do much work. 

We don´t have many investigators, but we found one this week and she is amazing! It is her and her daughter who is 5. She lost her son a few months ago and she is still really struggling with that, but I think we were able to give her some peace. We invitied her to be baptized on January 18th and she said yes! We are going to keep teaching her, so she will be ready. I hope she ends up getting baptized because I know that the gopsel can bring her so much peace! She daughter is so cute too, which is nice :) Let me tell you, Brazilian children are so stinkín´adorable! (American children are still adorable too :) )

Because it is new year, we switched church times, so now church starts at 8:30 for me and we have Relief Society, Sunday School and Sacrament meeting last. Yesterday was my first Sunday like that and I think church actually went faster because of that, but we will see :) I heard church starts at 1 for all of you back home... Mine got earlier and yours got later :)

The members are so sweet at meals and one of the most commom phrases is `Comer mais, sister` which basically means eat more sister :) I always leave almoço appointments so full and I have yet to had a bad meal here in Brasil. Thank goodness I am walking so much! People are so nice here in the north east and it is funny because we have such a hard time leaving a house because people are so open and will talk to you forever about anything and everything. I´ll take it though :)

Well, that about wraps up my week. I have my first Zone Conference tomorrow, so that should be fun and there are no holidays this week, so that should mean a normal week. I hope that you are all doing well!!

I know this church is true with all of my heart. I know that Thomas S. Monson is our prophet today and that His words are the words Heavenly Father wants us to know, so we need to listen to them. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redemer and that because of Him and His sacrifice we can return to live with our Father in Heaven and our family for eternity.

I miss and love you all!!

Com Amor,

Sister Chilson

2 Meses!

Oi Everyone! 
 
I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas and is doing well! I cannot belive that 
I have been on the mission for 2 monthes! Where has the time gone?! Anyway, 
stories from this week... 
 
On Christmas Eve me and the other sisters we live with made cookies and caroled 
and sang to the members so that was alot of fun and then on Christmas we had a 
pretty lazy day- or as lazy as you can get with being a missionary :) We woke up 
at 6:30 like normal, but we sat around opened presents that we had and didn´t 
leave the house until 11 for our lunch appointment. It was so nice to just relax 
and enjoy the day. It still didn´t really feel like Christmas though because it 
was sunny and super warm. 
 
A perk from being a missionary this week- so if the members cannot feed us one 
day for some reason they always give us money and that happened twice this week 
and my comp and I went to the little buffet- to- go food place about 2 minutes 
from our apartment. We got there, got our food and then the person who owns the 
places we had tracted into days before and he gave us our meal for free! It was 
super nice and the food was so amazing too, which is also a plus :) 
 
On Saturday we went to a ward activity which reminded me of the Labor Day Picnic 
we have at home except and it was hotter at this activity than at the picnic at 
home, it was for Christmas/New Years and people were swimming... Brasil :) It 
was a good time though. 
 
Another perk this week- I got out of speaking in sacarment meeting because I can 
play the piano. The bishop called at about 7 Sunday morning and asked with I 
would speak for 5 minutes about the Atonment of Cristo and of course I was 
freaking out, but we got to church and were sitting there when the bishop went 
to the piano/keyboard and set it to play prelude. It only played one song and 
then stopped so I thought I would asked if he wanted me to play. Of course he 
said yes so I went and was playing prelude and then he came up to me and asked 
me how many hymns I knew and I knew all of the ones he wanted to sing that day, 
so I played the piano/organ/keyboard for sacarment meeting and he said I didn´t 
have to speak.. yes! I always knew playing the piano was a good idea :) Just 
kidding. It was so awesome to be able to play again and honestly, if I play 
every Sunday for the rest of the mission, I would be perfectly happy :) 
 
Nothing else crazy happend this week. It wasn´t a good week for missionary work 
because everyone was out of town or with the family for the holidays, so we did 
alot of contacting, but I am hopeful that next week will be better :) 
 
I hope you all have a fabulous New Year!! I cannot believe that it is going to 
be 2014! Times goes to fast! 
 
I love you all and miss you everyday!! 
 
Com Amor, Sister Chilson 

 

                     Sarah and her companion Sister Martin 

Feliz Natal!

 Hello Everyone!!

I hope that you are all doing well and are getting ready for Feliz Natal (Christmas) :) I am so excited and cannot believe that it is Christmas already!!

I do not have aton of time today, so I am sorry, but I do have some things to tell you. I am doing well though- I promise :)

First off, I realized that I never told you what area I was in last week! I am in Antares. The ward is split into two areas and I am in one area with my companion and there is another set of sisters in the other area. We do alot of tracting and contacting, which is not very fun, but every moment where I get to testify to people and tell them about this wonderful gospel is so special and makes everything else worth it :)

Yesterday at church the bishop had me and my companion stand up in sacarment meeting so the ward could see us and then in the third hour me and my companion went to talk with the young women. It seems like just yesterday I was in their shoes and the sisters were talking to me. How time flies! 

Sorry, I don´t have much time left today, but I know that Heavenly Father watches out for each one of us. He knows us and gives us the strength to keep going when we think we cannot do anymore. I have learned this lesson many times over since I have been here. The mission is definately stretching me, but I am learning so much and loving every minute. I know that Heavenly Father loves us each so much and hears our every prayer. He wants what is best for us and to become the best we can be. He never gives us anything we cannot handle. 

I love this gospel so much and am so grateful for the opportunity I have to share it with the people here in Maceio. It is so wonderful to watch that light bulb go off in their head when things make sense to them and they understand. It brings a smile to my face! I know that this gospel is true with all of my heart and I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father who has blessed me more than I could have ever wanted. 

I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy this wonderful time of year. I pray for you all everyday. I love you!!

Com Amor,

Sister Chilson 

Attached are pictures... I hope they load! Me and my MTC companion- sister Pew and my district at the CTM I promise more pictures next time when I know what I am doing :)

Maceio!

Oi Everyone!

Well, I made it to Maceiò! It was quite the adventure, but I made it. We had to be in the parking lot at 4:20AM last Tuesday, and we were packing the night before, so I got maybe 3 hours of sleep... We had two flights though from São Paulo to Rio and from Rio to Maceiò. The mission president, his wife and some other missionaries were there when we got there. I already love them! Sister Gonzaga is seriously the sweetest person ever! We rode from the airport to the mission home and my goodness it was beautiful! The weather here is so much nicer than I thougt it would be and where I am there is always a breeze and by breeze I mean gusts of wind where you have to make sure your skirt doesn´t fly up, but I love it :)

I met my companion the same day... she is American!! Such a blessing from Heavenly Father! She has been out for 8 monthes and is 21 years old. She is super nice, but we are still getting to know each other.I know that I can learn so much from her.

We live in an apartment with 4 other sisters. There isn´t really room for us there (it is only meant for 4) so we will be moving the beginning of this week to somewhere else,but they are all so nice and patient with me and my Português.

So a normal day for me is wake up, a little devotional with all the sisters (a song, prayer, someone shares a sciprture, and another prayer), exercise, then get ready for the day and eat, an hour of personal study, an hour of companionship study, training (it is just for me in my first 12 weeks here as I get used to missionary life) and langugage study... so lots of study :) Then we have our lunch appointment at a members house. Lunch is the big meal for them here, so that is when we eat with members. We have 2 hours to eat with them and then from 2 in the afternoon until 9 at night we work! We have been doing alot of tracting because they just spilt our area and the area book had pretty much nothing in it.We are working hard though and we will have success with time. Then at 9 we go home, shower, get ready for bed and sleep! Every night I am so exhaused and an grateful that I made it through another day.

This is by far the hardest thing I have ever done, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I know that with time I will come to love it, right now it is all just so new to me that I am taking it all in as it comes.

I want to share one thing I learned this week with all of you.I always knew it before, but since I have been on the mission it has been reafirmed to me that Heavenly Father is always watching over us. He knows us individually and provides us with the strength when we think we cannot do it anymore. I know that whereever you are in your life it where you need to be and every person you meet, every experience you have is what you need. I have felt Heavenly Father´s hand in my life and I know that He is right here with me when I think I cannot take another step and I know He is with all of you as well.

I love this gospel so much and an so grateful for the opportunity I have to share it with these wonderful people of Maceiò. I am so sorry for the lack of pictures... I will get better at this whole thing- I promise :)

I hope that you each have a wonderful week and Christmas approaches! I love and miss you all and pray for you each every day!

Com Amor,

Sister Chilsona